The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-01-05
HIS START IN LIFE.
A Box Of Diamonds Which Caused a Crew
to Autiny.
A Little Smuggling Enterprise Through
Which the Cook Became a Sue
cessfcl Merchant.
New York Times [

INV 1QTk
II got my start in business by helping q
smuggler to save the goods he was trying to
smuggle, and don't thiRk 1 did any wrong
by it," said ship-chandler of this city to a
group of sea captains who had assembled in
the snug little office of his well-stocked store
one afternoon recently. The surprise which
this announcement had provoked gave place
to expressions of curiosity on the part of
the assembled captains, and the chandler
proceeded to explain his innocent connec-
ton with the smuggling industry.
when l was about nineteen years DID, I"
said the chandler, al went to sea. l shipped
as cook on an American bark, which finally
on. After got rid of my wages [ looked
about for another ship. I found berth as
cook on an American bark Of 600 tons which
was bound for Savannah. The captain was
quiet sort of man, with small black eyes,
each OF which looked as if it was trying to
keep what it was doing from the other. The
day before the bark sailed long, narrow
box came on board, and the captain had it
slowed away carefully in his state-room.
The box looked as though it might contain
collin. / made up my mind that there
was body inside, but as l wasn't super
stitious myself l didn't pay much atten-
ton to the matter at the time. The crew
looked like tough men. They were hard cases
as a rule, but they seemed willing enough to
do their work-all except two. These were
big, brawny Irishman we called Dublin
Nike and wiry, Spanish-looking chap
namedTony. Mike and Tony were always
telling the other chaps that they were work
ing too hard, and were advising them to
stand up for their rights. We had a good
run fer about three weeks, and had made
the better part of the voyage when a heavy
northerly gale set in. There was a good
deal of iron in the cargo, and that made the
bark labor badly. She strained so much
that she sprang bad leak. The pumps had
to be kept going nearly all the time. The
gale lasted several days and we drifted con-
siderably to the southwark. The men got
tired of working so much at the pumps, and
then it leaked out about the STRENGTHENING
box IN the captains state room.
"'No wonder We have bSd luck said
Dublin Mike, with that stiff on board and
the chap began to work on the superstitious
feeling of the men by telling them that no
ship with dead body on board was eyer
known to get through voyage without
1-ouble.
THAT night, at four bells in the dog watch,
all hands laid aft and asked to see the cap
tain. The skipper came out of the cabin
looking sort of scared. and asked the men
what they wanted. Mike, who was spokes-
man, said that they couldn't stand il any
longer with a dead body on board. The
body had got to go overheard or else the
ship would go down. The skipper said that
the idea that a dead body could bring any
harm to a ship was all nonsense, and he told
the men to go forward. Then Tony cried
out to the men to follow him. and made a
dash toward the cabin door.
"'Stop, menp cried the captain, there
amt any body in that box
TONY and the rest stopped.
"-'That box the captain went on TO say,
has only got some silks in it that / want to
rrrKh MIL 4
some diamonds in with the silks, and per-
haps there's more diamonds than there is
silks I'm going to put into Bermuda for
repairs. We're within two days sail of Ber-
muda now
But said Tony, If we help you to save
the diamonds and silks you ought to divide
with us when you get to Savannah
land so will. said the skipper.
mike swore that the captain ought to
open the box and show the men that there
was really no body in it. Tony seized Mike
by the arm and whispered something to him
in an angry tone. Mike then stammered
and said that he would take the captain s
word for it, and all went forward quietly.
"The wind was fair during the next
twenty.four hours, and the next night when
l turned in l understood that the chances
were that we would reach Bermuda some
time in the morning. The watch on deck
had been keeping the pumps going nearly
all the time, and could hear them clicking
as 1 fell asleep. l slept in a little state
room right aft of the forecastle. There was
a little hole in the bulkhead between nv
room and the forecasile. | had frequently
heard what was going on in the forecastle, but
never paid much attention to it. That night
l woke up feeling kind of uncomfortable.
heard voices IN the f0recastle. fancied that
the watches had Just been changed, and l
tried to go to sleep again, but L could not.
The talking in the forecastle kept on. This
surprised me, because the men usually went
to sleep the moment they turned in. ] put
my ear up to the hole and listened.
"'What will we do with the cock? /
heard a sailor say.
"'They'n lock him in Just before eight
BELLS replied a voice, which recognized
as Mixes.
"Then heard noise, as if my door and
the shutter over my window were being fas-
tened. got up softly and felt my door. |
found that L had been fastened in. i
climbed back into my berth, and, putting
my ear to the hole, listened again.
"'Wbat will become of the poor cook,
locked up there?' heard the sailor ask.
1.-The same as will become of the ship,
replied Mike, with laugh.
"a chilly, awful kind Of feeling cine over
me when he said this.
"At eight bells we BEGIN he continued.
81 heard eight bells strike, and then
heard the men rush out of the forecastle.
An instant later / heard several pistol shots
fired. This was followed by loud shouts and
something which sounded like the smashing
in of doors. Then / heard several more pis-
toll shots, and then everything was quiet. l
lay there in nay berth, not daring TO cry out,
lest the mutineers should come back and
kill me. Their plan seemed clear TO me.
They undoubtedly intended to secure the
diamonds, and, leaving the ship to her
fate, TO make for Bermuda in the open boats.
Occasionally l would hear some sailor en-
ter the forecastle for something and
then go out again. 1 could not hear
the pumps gong, and / had no doubt
that the vessel was filling fast.
lay quietly in my bunk until daylight began
to show itself through the chinks in my
door and window. Just then ] heard sew
eTal more shots fired. This made me think
that the captain and the mates had sue
ceeded in barricadiDg themselves in the
cabin, and were still holding out. few
hours passed without my hearing any more
sounds. Then all of sudden it seemed to
me as II the ship was sinking THE mutt
neers.' l thought, have killed the officers and
have left In their boats, leaving me to go
down with the ship spraDg to the door
and shook it violently several times, but it
renamed fast. Fer few seconds was out
of my head with terror, and yelled like a
mailman. Then threw myself on the deck.